Boiler washing and filling system



July 4, 1933. F. w. MILLER BOILER WASHING AND FILLING SYSTEM Filed Aug.4, 1930 @MM M, nu

Patented July 4, 1933 Uhlll fifi STATES FRANK w. MILLER, or onicaeo,ILLINOIS BOILER "WASHING AND FILLING SYSTEM Application filed August 4,1930. Serial No. 473,085.

This invention relates to boiler washing and refilling systems ingeneral and more particularly to systems of the type in which theblow-oil steam is utilized for pro-heating the refill water, and theblow-off water is utilized as wash-out water.

This invention provides improvements in apparatus designed to effecteconomy in the ieat units which may be obtained from the blow-offproducts. The manner in which these economies are effected and theVarious advantages and purposes of the system will be readilyappreciated upon a perusal of this specification and the drawing whichshows somewhat diagrammatically the essential parts of the system.

Referring now to the drawing there lSplO- vided a cylindrical wash-outtank 1 provided with a cover 2 and a vent 3. Disposed entirely withinthe wash-out tank is a refill tank 4.

Water is supplied to the wash-out tank in the following manner: Ablow-elf main 5 is provided for conducting the blow-0E products fromlocomotive boilers, and the like, to

a separator 6, preferably of the centrifugal type, which separates thesteam from the water and delivers the water through the pipe? into thatportion of the wash-out tank which urrounds the refill tank. Any

sludge and foreign matter which may aecumulate in the separator may bedischarged through the pipe 8 and valve 9. Should the supply of water inthe wash-out tank received from the above source become insufi-v cient,cold water from the cold water supply line 11 may be admitted throughthe pipes and under the control of a suitable float valve to replenishthe water in the washout tank until a suitable desired level has beenrestored therein.

ater is delivered from the wash-out tank in the following manner: A pipe15 connected with the bottom of the wash-out tank and with the pump 16conducts the water from the wash-out tank through a pipe 17 into awash-out main 18. A small pipe 19 connecting the inlet and outlet of the.pump16 will serve to permit water in the wash-out main to drain backinto the wash-outtank 50 whenever the pump 16 is not running.

A thermostatic element 21 located in the pipe l? and connected with athermostaticaL ly operated valve 32 will be arranged to admit cold waterfrom the pipe 23 into the intake of the wash-out pump 16 whenever thewash-out water being withdrawn from the wash-out tank is hotter than apredetermined temperature. By means of this regulated admixture of coldwater the washout water delivered to the wash-out nozzle at thelocomotives may be tempered to make it safe for handling.

Water is delivered to the refill tank in the following manner: A pipe 24connected with the cold water supply line will admit cold water into therefill tank 4 under the control of a float operated valve 25 wheneverthe water in the tank falls below a predetermined level. Whenever steamis being discharged from the blow-01f line into the separator 6, thesteam thus separated will be conducted through a pipe 26 into acondenser 27. As the separated steam flows through the pipe 26 itcontacts with a thermostat 28 which controls a valve 29 by means ofwhich steam may then be admitted into the pump 31 to drive the same. Itshould be understood that instead of using the thermostaticallycontrolled steam valve 29 and a steam driven pump 31 an equivalentthereof could be employed in the form of an electrical motor and athermostatically controlled electric switch. The pump 31 which may becalled a condensing pump is connected on its inlet side with a pipe 32and a pipe 33, the latter being swivelly connected with a pipe 34 withinthe refill tank. The latter pipe will be caused to be lifted upwardlyfrom the bottom of the tank by means of a float 35 while the open end ofthe pipe 34 will remain somewhat below the surface of the water. A chain36 establishes a limit for the upward swinging of this pipe. Waterwithdrawn from the refill pipe 34, 33 and 32 will be de-' livered by thepump 31 through a pipe 37 into the condenser 27 at such times asseparated 95 steam is likewise being admitted into the condenser.Normally this refill water so delivered into the condenser will be quitewarm but will condense the separated steam and the mixture of the twowill be delivered the summertime in southern climates, the

operator of the system may shut down the pump 31 by closing the valve 39and by opening the valve 41 admit cold water into the condenser. Underthese conditions a thermostat and a thermostatically controlled valve e3may be used to regulate the admission of cold in ter into the condenseronly at such times as separated steam is passing through the pipe 26.

Should the refill tank become full it may overflow without harm into thewash-out tank. Overflow from the wash-out tank may be discharged fromthe pipe 44 to a sewer or any suitable outlet.

I or delivering refill water from the refill tank a pipe 45 is connectedto the pipe 83 and to a pump 46, the latter being steam driven orotherwise driven and adapted to deliver water into the pipe 47, thenceinto the refill main 48.

Although steam driven pumps are shown in the drawing it is obvious thatelectrically driven pumps would be the equivalent therefor and may beutilized.

It should be understood that this invention may be incorporated invarious embodiments differing from the one herein disclosed, yetremaining within the scope of the appended 7, claims.

Having shown and described my invention, I claim:

1. In combination, a wash-out tank and a refill tank entirely disposedtherein, a condenser, a blow-off main and a separator connectedtherewith arranged for Separating blow-oft products and delivering theblowoil water into the wash-out tank and the separated steam into saidcondenser, a refill main, a refill pump connected with the refill tankand with said refill main, a condenser pump connected to said refilltank and to said condenser, a thermostat arranged to be operated by thedelivery of steam to said condenser, and means operated by the expansionof the thermostat for starting the condenser pump said condenser beingarranged and connected to mix the refill water from said condenser pumpwith said sepa rated steam and to deliver them into said refill tank.

2. In a boiler washing and refilling system, the combination of acylindrical wash-out tank, a refill tank disposed entirely within thewash-out tank, a refill main and a pump connected therewith and withsaid refill tank for delivering the refill water to the refill main, awash-out main and a pump connected therewith and with the wash-out tankfor delivering wash-out water to the wash-out main, :1 small pipeconnected to the delivery side of the wash-out pump and to the intakeside of the wash-out pump for draining water slowly from the wash-outmain to the wash-out tank, a blow-oft main and a separator connectedtherewith for separating the water and steam from the blow-oft productsof the locomotives, a condenser connected for receiving separated steamfrom the separator and discharging into the refill tank, a condenserpump connected with the refill tank and said condenser, and meanscontrolled by the flow of steam into said c011- denser for starting andstopping said condenser pump.

3. In a boiler washing and refilling system including a wash-out tank, awash-out main, a wash-out pump connected with said main and said tank,means normally tree from valves or the like connected with said wash-outmain beyond said pump arranged for draining by gravity water from thewashout main back to said tank whenever said pump is idle.

4-. In a boiler washing and refilling system including a wash-out tank,a wash-out main, a wash-out pump connected with said main and said tank,a pipe of relatively small capacity connected to said wash-out mainbeyond said pump and further connected to enable it to drain water fromsaid wash-out main back into said tank whenever said pump is idle, saiddrain connection being continuously maintained during operation of thepump but being so small as not to greatly interfere with the delivery ofwater for wash-out purposes.

5. In a boiler washing and refilling system, the combination of acylindrical washout tank, a refill tank disposed entirely within thewash-out tank, a refill main and a pump connected therewith and withsaid refill tank for delivering the refill water to the refill main, awash-out main and a pump connected therewith and with the wash-out tankfor delivering wash-out water to the waslrout main, a pipe connected tothe delivery side of the wash-out pump and to the intake side of thewash-out pump for returning water from the wash-out main to the wash-outtank when no water is being delivered by said wash-out pump, said pipebeing of much smaller capacity than the output of the wash-out pump, aseparator and a blow-oft main connected thereto arranged for separatingsteam from the blowotf products of a locomotive and connectionstherewith for delivering the separated water into the wash-out tank,means thermostatically controlled by the separated steam for minglingtherewith water withdrawn from the refill tank, and means for returningthe mixture thereof to said tank.

In witness of the foregoing I afiix my signature.

FRANK W. MILLER.

